Polished, SSB Melee is the year's most impressive GameCube title.
I can also really vouch for the new control mechanics. While dodging an item here or deflecting an item there sounds like a relatively simple addition, it adds a lot to the gameplay for expert players. You can also throw characters in a chosen direction now and that really helps to deepen the strategy behind the fighting system. I challenge anyone who dares call it a button masher to step up to the plate without having learned the controls and face a skilled player. I assure you the match would be over before it started. That's really the beauty of Smash Bros. Novice players can jump into a game together and do relatively well in their matches, but there's also plenty of room for expert players. Want to see what it's like to play an expert? Set the CPU to level 9. It will begin dodging your hits and deflecting bombs back in your face -- a hard lesson learned.
On the technical side of things I was pretty impressed with the visuals, though barring the character models and some graphical touches I know we will look back on the game and refer to it as "first-generation." It's the gameplay that counts most and the programmers have done an amazing job of creating a solid gameplay environment. One person's punch or kick is not necessarily like another's. Most of the characters feel drastically different than each other, so there's a lot to be mastered.
Wrap all that up and tack on the countless hours of multiplayer matches you'll play and you're looking at a game that more than warrants your purchase. The only reason you should even think of not purchasing it is if you didn't enjoy the original Super Smash Bros. Truly, SSB Melee puts the original to shame with its countless options and longevity. This has become and will likely become one of my favorite GameCube titles of all-time. It's that good. I would buy the game just for its soundtrack, which is simply astounding.
Presentation: All the retro Nintendo franchises wrapped into one, neat, feature-filled package. Amazing.10/10
Graphics: It's fast and furious, but still has some so-so background work. That said, most of the up-close visuals are great, but past that everything is average.8.5/10
Sound: Take all of your favorite Nintendo themes and orchestrate them to perfection. This is one of the best soundtracks in history, despite being based on pre-composed themes.10/10
Gameplay: An expansive single-player mode and a deep multiplayer mode make SSB Melee hard to put down 9.5/10
Lasting Appeal: Nearly 300 beautifully rendered trophies to collect, a stellar multiplayer mode, and tons of characters, stages, and options. It couldn't get much better than this 10/10
Overall: 10/10
My Verdict: BUY IT!...NOW